Tag Archives: Verizon

Unveiled at an event in New York yesterday, HTC/Verizon's Droid DNA has already been getting rave reviews. Photo courtesy of CBS.

Recently, the Pure Mobile blog reported on an upcoming HTC/Verizon event slated for November 13 in New York city. When the invitations started rolling out, most (including us) assumed only one thing – HTC's latest smartphone, the Verizon-bound Droid DNA, would be making its first official appearance. Well, we all assumed correctly.

The event may only have wrapped up yesterday, but reviews are already in, and they're looking good. No, they're looking great, as major Tech sites start loading praise on the black and red device that may just reverse HTC's less than stellar fortunes of late.

"I may have (finally!) found my new Android Smartphone," wrote one BGR writer, while an article from Gizmodo described the new device as simultaneously "nuts" and "sick."

The Droid DNA is HTC's first flagship phone for Verizon in quite a while, but the company seems to have made up for lost time by putting out what Gizmodo calls "the most impressively spec-filled smartphone the world has yet known."

at 440PPI, the Droid DNA's 5" display beats out the competition

Speaking of specs, where do we start?

TechCrunch has called out the new smartphone's screen as its "biggest claim to fame." The 5" Gorilla Glass display is unique to the Droid DNA in North America – only the Japanese HTC Butterfly J has one like it. And with a resolution of 440 pixels-per-inch, the 1080p Super LCD3 screen certainly outpaces competitors like the iPhone 5.

Ok, so what's under the hood? The Droid DNA boasts 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage, a quad-core, 1.5Ghz Snapdragon Qualcomm processor, with 4G LTE sharing the same chip as the application processor. "Having one chip instead of two improves battery life," writes CNET.

But if your battery does run out of juice, the Droid DNA has wireless charging capabilities, though as TechCrunch notes, there aren't many details yet about accessories for that.

Powered by Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean, the device is NFC- and LTE- capable, and comes with Beats Audio. And its 2.1 megapixel front-facing and 8 megapixel rear-facing cameras are up to standard as compared with other recent devices.

So, how much will HTC's best smartphone to date run you, and when will you eb able to get your paws on its super-sized screen? The Droid DNA is already available for pre-order, but it'll be heading to Verizon for November 21 at a price of $200 with a 2-year contract.

This sparsely-worded invite to an HTC/Verizon event brings more questions than answers

Amid a pre-holiday frenzy of press functions and device releases, there's yet another event slated for the season. This week, HTC and Verizon began sending out invitations for a joint event in New York City November 13.

And while many other events have had a healthy enough rumor mill to prematurely supply answers to the inevitable questions, the HTC/Verizon to-do doesn't.

The main speculation surrounds a possible unveiling of the new HTC-made Droid DNA handset. The Verizon-bound smartphone's existence has already leaked in pricing lists, and the assumption is that the two companies will be using their November 13 event to launch the device.

A Minimum Advertised Pricing list obtained by AndroidCentral may confirm the existence of HTC's Droid DNA

But that in itself has only raised more questions. The event invite hints at "our latest collaboration." Does that phrase refer to the Android-powered Droid DNA? if so, will the HTC smartphone be a Verizon exclusive?

Or, as Engadget has speculated:

"What if this is just a coming-out party for HTC's 8X Windows Phone flagship? It's not a far-fetched idea: we already know it's coming to Verizon, but the exact pricing and on-sale date have yet to be revealed. Then again, the 8X has already been shown off at a press event or two, and we're not sure a Verizon-branded variant would merit such a high-profile news conference."

Still, with just a sparsely-worded invitation to go on, there's not much we can say for certain at the moment. It looks as though we'll have to just sit tight and wait for all to be revealed next week.

That is, unless we catch a break and the whole thing leaks. One can always dream...

Verizon announced this week that, for the first time in three years, they'll be carrying a Nokia smartphone.

The Nokia Lumia 822, a version of the Lumia 820 customized for Verizon, will start rolling out to Verizon subscribers this November, a press release announced. Though no release date has been publicized, a source told Engadget that it may be available by November 8, while BGR thinks it'll be out on November 12.

With the announcement no doubt timed to coincide with all of Microsoft's recent events, the smartphone runs on WIndows Phone 8, and is available exlusively through Verizon.

So how, exactly does the Lumia 820 stack up against other Lumia devices? Well, for one, it's curvier, and its camera pod and flash placement has the same lengthwise setup as the Lumia 920 and 810, "instead of the transverse layout found on the Lumia 820," writes Engadget.

As for specs, the Lumia 822 packs a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, has 8 GB of internal storage, and 1 GB of RAM, though you can get models with up to 64 GB.

Its 4.3" screen has a resolution of 800 x 400, and it's got an 8 megapixel camera as well as a 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera, and an exchangeable shell for wireless charging.

It body seems pretty sturdy, which is no surprise for a Nokia phone, though some have called it a little thick. Still, says one TechCrunch reviewer, "If anything, the version I played with was even thicker than normal because someone had swapped the stock backplate with the wireless charging plate, but the end result was a device that was still very comfortable to hold."

Available in white, black or grey, one of these bad boys will run fairly cheap – about $100 on a 2-year contract with Verizon.

Just like our Facebook posts create histories of our lives that can’t be erased, we generate indelible electronic paper trails whenever we use our mobile devices. Verizon Wireless is only the latest tech company to collect information on its subscribers and then sell it to advertisers who might be interested in seeing what we buy and where.

Verizon calls their new data collection program “Precision Market Insights.” Verizon collects geographic data from the apps we use and the websites we access. They then turn around and share the information with businesses that are interested in selling us stuff through advertising on our smartphones and other mobile devices.

Verizon is adamant that the program is legal and doesn't violate any privacy laws because they keep user identities anonymous. Earlier this year, Bill Diggins, the U.S. head of Precision Market Insights, spoke about what the Verizon program allows the company to do. Of subscribers Diggins said, "We're able to view just everything they do.”

Verizon is latest mobile service provider to use what’s called “data-mining.” MIT’s Technology Review reported that in 2010 AT&T began tracking how and when text messages are sent. They believe these are indicators of social trends and human behavior. The MIT researchers also stated that many tech companies perform similar data analyses. Facebook and Google have been doing it for awhile, too.

What cell companies don’t want you to know is that you can opt out of these kinds of data-mining programs. In the case of Verizon, customers can log in to their MyVerizon account and opt out any time.

This week, Verizon customers fell victim to an iPhone 5 bug that sucked data like a vampire

Just in time for Halloween, Verizon has unleashed a horrible and terrifying monster: it's the fabled iPhone 5 data vampire, and for Verizon subscribers lucky (or unlucky?) enough to have Apple's latest smartphone, it's causing huge overages.

"I have had an iPhone on AT&T since launch. I never went over a gig in any month," wrote one such user in the Mac Rumors forum. "I have used half a gig [on the iPhone 5] in 2 days with Verizon! Worse, it uses LTE while I am at home with a rock solid Wi-Fi connection. If I turn cellular off altogether I can still see, for example, a YouTube video. But if I leave it on, while still connected with wifi, it sucks data like a vampire. WTF??? And, all day, it leaks data even with no apps running!"

The bug has been a common one for Verizon subscribers using the iPhone 5, causing most of them to go through insane amounts of data in a really short period of time.

Fortunately, there is a way to slay this monter, but it's not with a wooden stake. Instead, Apple has offered a patch available directly on the iPhone 5 that should fix the issue quickly and without too much hassle.

To install it, go to Settings > General > About, and wait for the following message and follow the instructions.

Apple swiftly offered an update for Verizon subscribers on the iPhone 5

"Basically, turn your phone off and on again," says Gizmodo. "After doing that, you should check to make sure the carrier software has been changed to Verizon 13.1."

Aside from the fact that your iPhone should stop sucking data like Dracula at the blood bank, there's also another piece of good news. Verizon issued a statement clarifying that they're aware of the bug and won't be charging subscribers for the overages it has caused:

"Under certain circumstances, iPhone 5 may use Verizon cellular data while the phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network. Apple has a fix that is being delivered to Verizon customers right on their iPhone 5. Verizon Wireless customers will not be charged for any unwarranted cellular data usage."

Verizon Wireless is the first major U.S. carrier to announce details on a data sharing plan. Verizon is calling theirs “Share Everything Plans”, which package shared voice minutes, text messages and data. Smartphones, tablets and feature phones are all eligible devices.

Share Everything Plans include unlimited minutes, unlimited texting, video and picture messaging, and a data allowance for up to 10 Verizon Wireless devices. In addition, the Mobile Hotspot service for all wireless devices is included.

Costs start at $30 per device for basic cell phones and $40 per device for smartphones. 1GB of shared data will run $50 per month and include unlimited voice calling and text messaging.

For $100 plus the monthly fees for each device, up to 10GB of data per month can be shared between devices. Unlimited voice and SMS are included.

“Customers asked, and today Verizon Wireless delivered an industry first,” said Tami Erwin, vice president and chief marketing officer at Verizon Wireless. “Share Everything Plans are the new standard for wireless service.” Verizon Wireless’s Share Everything plans become available on June 28th. Both existing and new customers are eligible.

Verizon may still be blushing a bit from its “free” PR blurb on Saturday Night Live the other weekend for its convoluted explanations and advertising of its 4G LTE network. Luckily for the telecommunications giant, Verizon is looking to get a bit more positive press this week with the Android 4.0.3 update whispers for its Motorola DROID RAZR. And based on the leaked images to date, the details on the new user interface are much needed improvement over the most recent UI images of the MotoBLUR.

Watch this video for additional insight on the Motorola DROID RZR ICS

If you compare the images between the two Motorola devices, it is clear that the handset manufacturer has done an overhaul. Resplendent with the much touted Android 4.0, most of the custom skin has been removed to better let the ICS Holo theme come through. Motorola has made its mark on the home screen and the app launcher. This translates into custom icons verses the stock Android 4.0 icons and additional functionality in the app launcher which permits the end user to sort applications by groups (something this writer has yet to figure out how to do on an iPhone). And, if you are really inclined to customize, there are any number of personality-sparking protective cases to pick from.

In going further than skin deep (pardon the double entendre), the OS of the DROID RAZR bears more marks of Motorola’s tampering of Ice Cream Sandwich. The settings, camera, and lock screen are all clearly marked with classic MotoBLUR aesthetics with stylistic touches from Android 4.0.

With Google Android’s complicated, global web of manufacturers and distributors, the challenge is quite often “thanks for all the hype. Now where is my OS update?” So to properly set expectations, we checked the official Motorola Android 4.0 update list which still has the Verizon DROID RAZR update eligibility tagged as “under evaluation.” The international version of the handset is expected to get its update in the second quarter.

But, ever the optimist, there is still the chance that Motorola and Verizon will bring a tasty Ice Cream Sandwich DROID RAZR to the United States sometime this quarter. With good luck and even better planning Motorola could beat HTC to the punch and be the first vendor to push out an OEM update for Android 4.0

As always, with the plethora of carriers, unlocked devices, and mobile OS options now on the market, the world is your oyster to choose your next smartphone!

Motorola has done it again! Introducing a new Droid RAZR! This one was launched last Thursday by Verizon and has the likely moniker of “DROID RAZR MAXX.” As with any other mobile carrier, the handset is available at a discounted price when a new two-year agreement is signed. The asking price is $299.99. With that kind of out of pocket investment and a signed contract, this writer would highly recommend consumers to shop around for an unlocked cell phone. These unlocked cell phones empower consumers to break free service provider long term contracts and permit to negotiate a plan that best meets your lifestyle needs at the lowest price.

Compared to its predecessor, the DROID RAZR, this latest Motorola is housed in a thicker frame (only slightly). After that the differences are nominal. In fact, Droid-Life affirmed rumors that each of these devices runs on exactly the same software. Even the Android versions for both the DROID RAZR and DROID RAZR MAXX are the same kernel, build number, and baseband version. The community forums have some miffed participants that accuse Motorola of simply charging customers for a new battery, but this streamlined user of software should actually make things easier on the manufacturer, carrier, and consumer.

Discover the Droid RAZR MAXX in this insightful video :

Smartphone manufacturers are known for making slight changes and rebranding devices. This allows the newest handsets to accommodate tech changes by tweaking the software versions from the old to the new device. Some examples of this are the DROID 2 and DROID R2D2. The silver lining is that as the DROID RAZR and RAZR MAXX, it will all be interchangeable which permits tech-savvy users to take advantage of a wide range of custom ROMs.

Alas, with the slight variation in size, all accessories may not be interchangeable. But with the internal specs unchanged, peripheral devices and more technical accessory purchases should meet the system requirements of both smartphones.

Due to an inadequate supply of parts there has been a widespread shortage of HTC Unlocked (Incredible) Android devices according to Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam. While having been unable to stockpile enough key components such as the WVGA capacitive display assemblies manufactured by Samsung, entire shipments of the HTC-made Android smartphone are selling out within hours of their arrival at retail stores. According to McAdam the shortages are so severe that Verizon Wireless has had to pull way back on the number of deliveries in order to focus on online sales. If there had not been such a shortage of handsets the Incredible would have easily outsold its predecessor the Motorola DROID. Roughly 100,000 units of the Incredible were sold in the first two days this device was on the market. Verizon’s website claims that orders for the Incredible will be fulfilled by June 3rd.

It appears that the demand for the Droid Incredible has far exceeded Verizon’s expectations. This is good news and bad news for the cell phone manufacturer. Of course it is great news that their new Android device is such a big hit with consumers but it is unfortunate that they are unable to keep these smartphones in stock due to an inadequate supply of parts. The HTC Google Nexus One Android gadget was predicted to be one of the hotter Android devices on the market when it was released but I am willing to bet that many industry experts did not foresee this shortage of units. Nor did they ever think these devices would be selling out within hours of being delivered to stores. Hopefully Verizon gets their act together quickly so that everyone who is eagerly waiting to get their hands on one of these new smartphones can do so before June 3rd as Verizon mentioned.

Verizon Wireless appears to be setting out to clobber the competition when it comes to selling the Unlocked Palm Pre Plus Phone. According to their website it appears that Verizon has already lowered the price of the Pre Plus to just $30 on a two year contract. This is a substantial discount over Sprint and AT&T who will be charging $149 not to mention AT&T has not even started selling the device! There has been no word on whether or not this discounted price will last or if the lowered end model Pixi Plus will eventually fall to free with a contract. If you are looking for a cheap way to get in on the future of HP it looks like this is as good of a chance as any.

The Palm Pre Plus is one of the better, lower priced smartphones on the market today. Packing features such as Palm webOS, 3.0 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, QWERTY keyboard, Touch Screen and 3G Mobile Hotspot it is easy to see why many consumers are eager to pick up this new mobile device. Now it appears that with Verizon’s generous pricing structure consumers will be able to grab this device at an exceptional value.

The various other devices by Palm Pre have been great sellers in the past as well. Perhaps spotting a chance to gain a few more members of their network Verizon jumped the gun by lowering the price substantially over their competitors to cash in on all the people who will be looking to purchase this particular Palm device. This looks like a good decision by Verizon as they will be sure to gain a few new customers for their network via this very affordable smartphone.